What we are talking about:
Matt Ryan
The No. 1 fantasy quarterback?
LeSean McCoy
Enough with this feud
Stat corrections
Pure evil
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Apologies if the curtain is pulled back with this statement, but it turns out advertisers like to use attractive people to move products and services. If you need a moment to let it sink in, take your time.
But you have to feel bad for Priyanka Chopra (above) because nobody can make that jersey look good to fantasy football owners.
So what do we do with Chris Johnson?
It's a complex issue. I drafted CJ in one league. As a fantasy owner who operates out of spite, I want to deal Johnson for anybody who will take him. A lot of the members of "NFL Fantasy Live" often joke they wouldn't give up a bag of chips for Johnson. (Trust me, I've tried.) So he's relegated to the bench.
However, in the other leagues where I don't have Johnson, I'm attempting to deal for him. That's right, deal for him. If I have a backup who's just another guy, why not take a risk on a former first-round draft pick who might at some point be worth something?
Take a look at his playoff schedule. The Titans play the Colts in Week 14, the Jets in Week 15 and finish off with the Packers in Week 16 (aka Fantasy Championship Week). Johnson could do some damage in those weeks if he ever gets it together. So put those owners to the test and make them an offer this week. Or maybe wait until he does nothing against the Texans when fantasy owners are completely done with him.
And yeah, I guess she does do the jersey justice. At least somebody is.
All right, enough about that. Let's get to fantasy football. Check for the bold names, and as always, consult the rankings.
A big nod to our esteemed stat guy, Bill "Sudsy" Sudell, for the knowledge.
And without further ado ...
Eli Manning is a tough call this week. He was in the other ledger first because the Eagles have allowed the third-fewest points to fantasy quarterbacks this year. But you think back to the four-touchdown performance he had at Philadelphia last year and it's hard not to play him. Here's the thing: If you drafted him, you believe in him, so play him. But if you drafted, say, Robert Griffin III, then you start him. But Manning is safe this week as a low-end QB1. ...
Matt Ryan is a great start this week, and every week going forward. Some of you drafted Ryan as a QB2; Maybe you mixed him in with Matthew Stafford and Peyton Manning. Or maybe even Michael Vick. Well, it's time to make sure Ryan is your starter going forward. His one Achilles heel (playing on the road, outside) has been more myth than anything this year. ...
If you break down Ryan's schedule, the only place where he might get tripped up is Week 8 at Philadelphia. The weather could be bad there. But the rest of his road games in the second half of the season are at New Orleans, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Detroit. Two indoors and two in the South. This is going to be a monster year for Ryan. ...
Predicted tweet: "Should I trade for Ryan?" Let me answer this one in a single word: "(Expletive) yes." ...
Would you trade Aaron Rodgers for Ryan? That's a tougher call. Rodgers has been a huge disappointment for fantasy owners. To be perfectly honest right now, Ryan might be the better fantasy option going forward. If I were forced to put my car on the line to pick a guy, I would risk it with Ryan. Mostly because my car is a piece of junk and I really want to upgrade to a new Buick anyway. ...
Peyton Manning showed he should be a must-start quarterback in all formats. If you're putting up points against the Texans, you're good to go. Sure, they were garbage-time points. Points are points. ...
Ryan and Manning illustrate why the notion of drafting a quarterback in the first round was foolish. Let's look at the first-round quarterbacks: Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton. Would you really be bummed if you had Manning or Ryan instead of any one of those guys? You can miss with a first-round running back, but when your quarterback struggles, you're doomed. ...
Josh Freeman has a great matchup against the Redskins this week. The Redskins have allowed 10 touchdown passes this year, and the third-most points to fantasy quarterbacks, which seems like kind of a surprise. But if you are in a pinch for a quarterback, you can do worse. ...
The Redskins also have allowed the most points to fantasy receivers of any team this season. The Redskins have allowed 13 touchdown passes in four games and 16 completions for more than 20 yards (tied for second-most in the NFL). So it stands to reason Vincent Jackson (duh) and Mike Williams are great starts. ...
Christian Ponder is a fun play this week, too. He ranks 11th among fantasy quarterbacks this year. Though he does get the benefit of a huge touchdown run. Still, Ponder had a great matchup against the Lions, who have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2012. ...
There was a time when playing a running back against the Jets was a bad move. But the Jets have allowed the seventh-most points to fantasy running backs this year. Frank Gore has rushed for five touchdowns in his last seven games. ...
Darren Sproles should start every week. He currently ranks 21st among fantasy running backs. And last week the Saints even used him as a running back. Still, he has 25 targets for the Saints this year, including five in the red zone. Even better, four of those targets are in goal-to-go situations. You would expect the Saints to look for Jimmy Graham in those situations, but Sproles gets his chances, too. ...
ImageOne thing I couldn't help but think about on Monday night was Clay Matthews. You know he records "Monday Night Raw" each and every week. So on Tuesday, you know he wanted to get his mind off things, so he likely fired up his wrestling show. How do you think he felt about the opening segment where CM Punk complained about a replacement official who cost him a match? The most amazing thing: It happened hours before the "Monday Night Football" game finished. Crazy.
DeMarco Murray has been a disappointment in fantasy leagues this season. Murray has only one touchdown in his last seven games. The Bears allow the third-fewest points to fantasy running backs this year. The signs point to DeMarco being a dislike this week. But like the great manager Lou Brown once said, "He's due." ...
And yes, I'm using a quote from a baseball movie to justify a move against the trends and numbers. ...
If you're really hyper to play somebody in the Monday night game, because I personally love it, pick up Bears kicker Robbie Gould. He's been perfect so far this season. Three field goals is not an unreasonable expectation for Gould this week. ...
ImageStrangest thing of the week: I actually talked about a kicker, or I went and purchased Aquaman Vol. 1: The Trench? But I will have to tell you, Geoff Johns has done great things with Aquaman. His character in the Justice League reboot got me to make the trade. Pick it up. ...
Ryan Williams had already moved up fantasy depth charts before his running mate was injured, but now he's cemented himself in most lineups. His touches had increased in each game, and he had 95 scrimmage yards in Week 3 against the Eagles. The matchup with the Dolphins isn't great or terrible (they've allowed the 12th most fantasy points to running backs), but the opportunity makes Williams attractive. ...
Everybody likes Mikel Leshoure because it's rare to find a No. 1 running back, much like Williams, at this point of the season. Not sure he's going to have a huge week against the Vikings, who haven't allowed a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games. Plus the Lions haven't scored a rushing touchdown against the Vikings in close to six years. ...
Jacquizz Rodgers is somebody you need to put on your roster in the near future. Those 67 scrimmage yards and a touchdown are just the start for him. Michael Turner has a nice matchup, too. ...
ImageListen to these statistics: This running back has failed to reach 90 yards from scrimmage in nine consecutive games and he's going against the defense which has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. You starting him? The running back I'm talking about is Adrian Peterson. ...
Arian Foster starts for you every week. If you need a flex option, Ben Tate is a pretty good option against the Titans, who have allowed the third-most points to running backs this season. Matt Schaub has a pretty good matchup, too, considering the Titans have allowed the most points to fantasy quarterbacks. Start Foster, Tate, Dre Johnson and Schaub, who is a nice little play, too. But I do fear a circumstance where the Texans are out to a huge lead. A lead they won't squander this time around. ...
Jamaal Charles had 33 carries last week. He's had 33 carries previously in his career, during the 2007 season at the University of Texas. Charles rushed for 290 yards and three touchdowns against Nebraska. The following week? He rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns against Oklahoma State. That would be cool if he had a repeat against the Chargers. ...
Not sure if Calvin Johnson has ever been listed in the Like/Dislike column. Seems like there would be no need, right? But like this statistic: The Vikings have allowed 33 touchdown passes in their last 14 games. ...
Hakeem Nicks is barely practicing again this year. Yeah, but it's Percy Harvin who gets the reputation of being injury-prone. (Harvin was a guest of the Dave Dameshek Football Program, which is available on iTunes, this week. Check it out.) If Nicks plays, put him in your lineup. But have Ramses Barden ready to go if you need to. ...
With the Giants playing the Eagles in Week 4, it's come time for me to announce the idea of the year: "Rivalry Week" in the NFL. Dave Dameshek has long lamented teams playing intradivision games early in the season, especially Week 1. So the league shouldn't schedule intradivision games until Week 4 and start it with the team's biggest rivals. ...
ImageThe Bears vs. Packers; Steelers vs. Ravens; St. Louis FC vs. 49ers would be automatic for Week 4. There could be some questions for some teams. Who is the Raiders' biggest rival? And the Cowboys? Maybe you could rotate those teams. But it would be a great tent-pole event when the league hits a little bit of a lull during the season. (Maybe Week 5 would work better as the quarter point.) No need to give me credit when this happens, either. ...
Harvin has scored in four of his last five road games. He's had 100 yards from scrimmage in four consecutive road games. Harvin has also had a receiving touchdown in two of his three games against the Lions. ...
Eric Decker hasn't been the superstar he was supposed to be when he hauled in a pair of touchdown passes in the preseason. It really burns me, too, because Decker was going to go off the fantasy boards in round 7, but many of us had to make a move early to get him. And it's been iffy at best. Decker was better last week with 136 receiving yards (so there's 15 points with the bonus). Decker should be great this week against the Raiders, whom he victimized for a touchdown last year. ...
Look around your league's waiver wire. If somebody dropped Heath Miller, pick him up on Saturday and stash him on your bench. He's too good to be available. ...
Bad matchup for Martellus Bennett this week against the Eagles, who have given up the third-fewest points to fantasy tight ends this season. If you can pick up somebody like Kyle Rudolph and put him in your lineup, to me, it's worth the risk to go with Bennett. ...
ImageOne of the cool things about living on the West Coast is the East Coast Showtime feed. I'll record the second half of the Eagles vs. Giants game, then catch the season premieres of "Dexter" and "Homeland." The storyline of Deb finding Dexter should be pretty good, even if it's a few too many series away. "Homeland" is going along the obvious path, with Brody getting into politics. To be honest, I would have preferred Brody to have gone through with the assassination attempt and deal with the aftermath of a new "big bad" for the season, but I'm ready for it. ...
ImageSPOILER: "Sons of Anarchy"continues to be awesome. I'm going to talk about the death of a character, but not until the next box so if you haven't seen the show, you might want to skip down to the fantasy football again. ...
ImageSPOILER: Many are outraged by the death of Opie. He was a favorite character, but sometimes you have to kill off these characters to move the story forward. Just like when Lem was killed on "The Shield." Opie gave his wife, father and then himself to the club. It was a fitting end for a guy who was already dead inside. If they ever follow through with a prequel to "Sons of Anarchy" revolving around the founding of the club, it's going to be real compelling to see how Opie's life-path is launched. ...
ImageSPOILER: Jax will end up killing Tig, and I predict in a similar fashion to the way Tig's daughter was done in. Can't you just see Tig sitting in the box looking up at Pope, only to have Jax walk up and throw one of his lit cigarettes down below? There has to be a payoff for Jax's character smoking. Seriously, this might be the perfectly written series. ...
ImageMore perfection: Dolph Ziggler needs to start winning matches and winning them cleanly. And over somebody other than Kofi Kingston. I'm with Brandon Stroud of "With Leather" on this one: Can we give him another opponent to beat? He's going to eventually be the champion, let's make him credible. ...
More perfection: Here's my perfect challenge lineup for the week: RG3, LeSean McCoy, Cedric Benson, A.J. Green, Wes Welker, Jimmy Graham, Robbie Gould and the Cardinals defense.
Cam Newton was ranked ahead of Joe Flacco this week. How did that work out? Seriously, I'm asking because I'm putting this together before the Thursday night game on NFL Network. As always, there's full disclosure because that's the kind of guy I am. I didn't like Flacco going into this game. ...
I had Flacco down for one touchdown pass this week. I'm honest, I won't go back and edit this later, even though I could. ...
Newton's a tough one, too. There are a lot of things going against Tony Romo this week, but I'm not sure if Newton is a better option. I'd almost rather have Christian Ponder in there over Newton, but you have to go with your stud. Or who you perceive as a stud. ...
Newton has just four total touchdowns and six turnovers this season. He's had fewer points compared to Ponder, Red Dalton, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andy Luck. In fact, in my league of record -- the Corona Football League with all of my childhood buddies from the 9-5-1 (just not my pal Charlie T.) -- I will move to Luck next week. ...
Looking to Week 5, Newton will play host to Seattle next week, but Luck has the Packers. Who would you start? ...
I tried to trade Newton to the team with Michael Vick but was turned down because, the owner said, he already had one Vick. The Eagles QB has nine turnovers this season. He hasn't been good against the Giants with one total touchdown and two turnovers in two games. The Giants are tied for second in the NFL with six interceptions. ...
The numbers for Michael Vick are bad. If you looked at a normal quarterback, the numbers would be a worrisome trend. But it's Michael "Freaking" Vick. How long do you think he's going to be healthy? Vick looked like he was in playing in Week 15 after the first series of the season. ...
Coach Andy Reid did Vick no favors with this "hey, we might turn to Nick Foles soon" sentiment. Wait, what? You want to turn to your rookie backup? First of all, as previously stated, Vick is going to give your backup a chance a play just because of his injury history. And unless you are just trying to set up the Cardinals for a trade two years down the road, there is no reason to try to sell us on Nick Foles. ...
Tony Romo has a tough matchup against the Bears, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. The Bears have allowed just two touchdown passes (tied for the fewest in the NFL). Romo has gone without a touchdown pass twice in his last five games, and he's made an interception in four consecutive games. ...
"But Rank, you love playing guys on Monday night." I do. But you know what's terrible? Hoping you are going to get a huge game from your stud on Monday night and he folds -- just like Rodgers did last week. At this moment in time, Freeman is starting ahead of Romo in one of my leagues. (If you're hyper to play somebody in the Monday night game, go with Gould, as noted at the bottom of the Likes.) ...
Best-case scenario for Romo: 214 passing yards, two touchdowns. Again, this is the best-case scenario. That puts him about 10th on my list of quarterbacks. But you can't bank on anything more than that. ...
Philip Rivers is a tough call this week, too. He looked awful against the Falcons last week (warning: that's who Cam Newton is playing), and when you start looking back to last year, your concerns are warranted. ...
The numbers say this is a good matchup for Rivers, as the Chiefs have allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. But he had an awful game against the Chiefs last year, four interceptions and the fumble which cost them (what we assume) was the game. I guess we shouldn't assume a field goal is automatic. In any event, it's tough to start Rivers. He's better than Kevin Kolb, Sam Bradford, Matt Cassel and Mark Sanchez this week. ...
BTW, the Chargers debacle should go on the reel for Norv Turner's coaching career. Not to worry, Norv. You'll eventually be the coach of the Dallas Cowboys one day because Troy Aikman will put in a good word for you with Jerry Jones. You laugh, but Wade Phillips once coached the Cowboys, too. ...
Ryan Mathews is going to need some more time to get comfortable in the Chargers offense again. Norv Turner said he wanted to limit Mathews, which shows the team rushed him back a bit too soon. ...
Matthew Stafford should start if you have him. But can somebody remind me why we were so high on him after one injury-free season. Should we not have expected this to happen to him again? ...
Ahmad Bradshaw is expected to start against the Eagles, and he's been good with six touchdowns in his last five games. But this is a tough matchup against the Eagles. The Giants haven't scored a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games against the Eagles, who have allowed only one rushing touchdown in their last seven. Bradshaw has three total touchdowns in nine games against the Eagles, so I would take a pass. ...
Needless to say, Andre Brown should go on your bench, too. He's looked way too good to drop off your roster. The Giants have to get him back into the mix at some point this season. This is going to be a tough week for him. I do like him to end up with a better game against the Eagles, just because of his running style. But it would have to be a compelling case for him to get into my lineup. ...
ImageLeSean McCoy is going to have a good game; don't become alarmed when you see his name on this side of the ledger. But what's become alarming is his obsession with Osi Umenyiora. I like McCoy a lot, but you probably shouldn't engage with a multiple Super Bowl winner. (And yes, you can point out my pot shots about Eli Manning right here. Point taken.) ...
ImageBut McCoy's rants come off a lot like John Cena's promos on CM Punk. Punk is a champion. And when Cena talks about how Punk needs to beat him, well, he has. Punk beat you at Money in the Bank in 2011. Punk beat Cena after he unfairly beat a drunk Rey Mysterio, who had to win a tournament to get the title only to have to fight Cena that night after getting a champagne shower. Punk beats Cena all of the time. It's getting as ridiculous and one-sided as this McCoy and Umenyiora nonsense. ...
Hey Mike Shanahan, don't believe for a moment the signing of Ryan Grant went unnoticed. The #shanahanigans alert level just went from red to magenta. ...
Reggie Bush is a must-start guy when he's completely healthy. Now you have a built-in excuse to bench him against the Birds' tough defense. So his injury history actually helped you here, in a weird way. ...
If you've been waiting to drop Mark Ingram, go ahead. The Saints don't seem to have a use for him. He's a touchdown vulture, but nothing else about him is compelling. ...
Beanie Wells will be back on the Cardinals roster at some point. Just not your fantasy roster. No need to keep him around. Those toe injuries typically last. ...
You know things are bad when you play for a team starved for receivers, like the Cleveland Browns, and you're still headed for a reduced role. Greg Little gets a ton of targets. But it's just more opportunities to drop the football. ...
Somebody offered me Michael Crabtree for Little before the season started. I laughed it off, not because it was lopsided or one player was better compared to the other. But if I ever found myself involved in such a useless trade, it would be time for me to stop playing fantasy football. ...
Crabtree is owned in 90 percent of leagues, which is amazing when you think about it. He has started in about 20 percent of leagues. But the guy is consistently average. He's topped 100 receiving yards once in his last 18 games. It's not like there's a chance he could have a monster game because he never has monster games. ...
Brandon Marshall is interesting this week. Marshall was expected to do big things this year, but he currently ranks 26th among receivers. The Cowboys have not allowed a touchdown reception to any receiver this year and boast the fewest points allowed to receivers overall. So Marshall goes for, like, 220 receiving yards because we're all benching him, right? That would be fitting in this NFL season. ...
But as always, don't do something crazy like start Kenny Britt, Brian Hartline or Santana Moss over Marshall. Just temper your expectations, which is something fantasy owners are totally good at. ...
Malcom Floyd is another guy who concerns me greatly. People just assumed Floyd was going to step in for VJax this season, but he didn't do it in 2010 when VJax held out, and he's not going to do it this year, either. Floyd hasn't scored a touchdown in four of his last five games against the Chiefs, and the trend will continue this week. ...
Dez Bryant is a guy we want to be good. He looks like he should be good, but the production just isn't there. Dez is tied for 60th in fantasy points among receivers, which is what you wanted from your third- or fourth-round pick, right? He hasn't scored a touchdown in his last five games. This is a tough matchup for him on Monday. ...
But having one remaining player on Monday is the only real motivation for playing Dez this week. Understandable if you want to do it, but not something to be recommended. You don't want to have Dez on the bench the one week he goes off, but how many bad games do you want to suffer through while you hope he has one good one? Can't trust him this week. ...
Danny Amendola is a PPR dream, but don't start him against the Seahawks. This might be the worst possible matchup for the diminutive Amendola, given the sheer size of the Seahawks cornerbacks. ...
If you grabbed Golden Tate after his huge game on Monday night, don't pull the trigger on starting him. Tate plays the St. Louis FC this week, and it's not a favorable matchup for him. ...
ImageAnd it's time to address what happened on Monday night. Forget what you think about the call. But bad calls are a part of not only football, but they become lore. The Tuck Rule. The Holy Roller. Even Drew Pearson pushed off in the "Hail Mary." (And for expletive-out-loud, there has been only one "Hail Mary" in NFL history. Stop calling every desperation heave a "Hail Mary.") ...
ImageBut any talk of an asterisk is nonsense. Packers fans will care for a long time. It's similar to the way us Angels fans jeer Doug Eddings -- seven years after his blown call in the 2005 American League Championship Series. Ed Hochuli still gets ridden by Chargers fans for his blown call in Denver a few years back. This was a human issue. ...
Brent Celek has scored three touchdowns in 10 career games against the Giants. The Giants have done a great job against fantasy tight ends this year, as they have allowed the sixth-fewest points of any team to the position. He's not a terrible start because he has the sixth-most targets among tight ends. Overall, he's a dislike. ...
Ryan Succop wears No. 6, which to me is the worst number a kicker could possibly wear. Because the No. 6 implies a missed extra point. You could contend the number represents two made field goals. But if that's the case, go for No. 18 to imply six made field goals. ...
ImageOur Michael Fabiano lost in one of his leagues this week when a stat correction came down on Thursday for a game played over the weekend. This just doesn't seem right. Once the games are over on Tuesday, it's over. Or more to the point, you can't win or lose a game once the waiver wire has been decided, especially if your priority is based on wins and losses. ...
ImageOr should professional sports mimic fantasy and be able to reverse such outrages? If that's the case, the Chicago White Sox can send their 2005 World Series banner to Anaheim. But it would be bedlam. You can't have it. Fabiano should be able to bellyache all year while Steve Young and Trent Dilfer talk in their "Owen voices" about how the fantasy game they love will never be the same again.
For the record, you can submit your fantasy questions to NFL Fantasy Live, Michael Fabiano or me on Twitter. But realize, NFL Fantasy Live has 70,000 followers, and Fabiano has 60,000. Me? Just 13. See, the odds are better I will answer your question, so hit me up both via Twitter or via Facebook (oh wait, I told you to stop going to Facebook). Go instead to Google+. Also be sure to catch the latest "Dave Dameshek Football Program."
